Voting machine



Feb. 27, 1934.

A. N. GUsTAvsoN 1,948,661

VOTING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1932 www HIS dum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VOTING MACHINE Alvin N. Gustavson, Jamestown, N. Y., assignor to Automatic Voting Machine Corporation, a corporation. of Delaware Application April Z5, 1932. Serial No. 607,283

Claims. (Cl. 23S-54) This invention relates to an improvement in Referring to the drawings and particularly to voting machines and more particularly to an Figure l., the invention, generally indicated by arrangement for decreasing the resistance oiered the reference numeral 13, is shown attached to by certain indicators on the keyboard where there one wall 11 of an interlocking channel 12. The

5 is a number of endorsed candidates. device comprises a stationary back plate 13, the 60 In elections where certain candidates names lower edge of which terminates in a right angle appear in more than one place in a grouped of flange 14. .A pair or" reversely disposed channel cc on the keyboard oi a voting machine, proportions 16, adjacent the extreme ends of the Vision must be made in the machine for preplate 13, are formed by a horizontal ange 17 venting a voter from recording these candidates and a vertical dange 13. Adjacent the upper G5 names more than once on any ballot. Atedge of the plate 13 is a portion 19 which is bent tachrnents for voting machines have noretoforc siightly toward the wall 11 of the channel 12. been produced for the purpose of interlocking Projecting horizontally and in the same direction those straps which represent an endorsed candias the flange 14, is a further fiange 21 which is dates name against each other but experience struck up from the central portion of .the plate 7o has shown that in order to prevent binding of 13, Mounted on the plate 13 and projecting certain endorsement interlocking straps, a slidthrough co-axial openings 22 and 23 in lianges ing or floating interlock must be provided. i4 and 21 respectively, is a ymember 24 which is The preferred embodiment of this invention provided at its lower end with a washer 26, perdiscloses a device in a voting machine which is manently joined thereto. Interposed between the 75 adapted to prevent the voter from recording an washer 26 and the lower side of the ange 14 is a endorsed candidates name more than once on compression spring 27. A cotter pin 28, located any one ballot and also to prevent certain interon the upper end of the member 24, locks said locking straps from binding dueto the lateral member to the plate 13.

displacement of those interlocking straps which Mounted cn the face of the plate 13 and pro- 30 are voted by the indicators on the keyboard. jecting in the direction of the anges 14 and 21 The principal object of the invention lies in is a pair of pins 29. Slidably mounted on the the provision of ,a movable auxiliary interlock pins 29 is a plate 31 which is retained thereon by which will prevent binding of certain interlockwashers 32 and cotter pins 33. The plate 31 is ing Straps when the indicators connected thercprovided with longitudinal slots 34 which permit 85 With are mOi/ed t0 VOillg position. sliding thereof relative to plate 13. The upper Another object of the invention is to provide an portion 35 of the plate 31 is slightly bent similar endorsement interlock which will prevent the to the portion 19 of plate 13. Mounted on the voter from recording an endorsed candidates upper Side of portion 35y and extending generally 35 name more than once on any one ballot. in the direction kof anges 14 and 21, are rivets 90 A further object of the invention lies the 35 which Spacemy join a Strip 37 to the plate 31 provision of a removable endorsement interlock These rivets are equally spaced throughout the Whmh maY be 351,15 attache@ t0 01" removed length of the strip 37 and plate 31. Interposed from a Votmg machme-as requlredi between adjacent rivets 36, and supported by Other and further objects o f the inveutmn will means of a Series of Smau slots 38 u1 the strip 95 be apparent from a (Onslderalon Ofjhe .Ouowtrfg 37 and the portion 35, is a plurality of interlock- Speclcatlon wlh 1S wen m cgltimto Wbb ing rollers 39. The rivets 36 and rollers 39 have thigcclmiprlhaeiavtlgsofag Vzlnltirlg irciachine Substantially the same contour showing the invention attached thereto with an A lectangular Cutut 41 m the Central pomm 00 of the plate 31, provldes the necessary clearance of the lnterlockmg straps 1n non-voting position,

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Figure 1, showing arognd the flange 21 SO that the p1ate,3.1 may certain of the interlocking straps moved to voting be freely moved from one extreme posmon to position and the present invention moved longianother tudinany to a new position; Interlocking straps 42, interposed between ad- 105 jacent rollers 43 in the interlocking channel 12,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l; are provlded with lugs 44 Whlch are adapted to Fig. 4 is an elevation of he device; and engage endorsement interlocking Straps 46. Piv- Fig, 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View, otally joined to the lower ends of these straps 46, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, by means of rivets 47 and interposed between 110 adjacent rollers 39, on the plate 31, are locking members 48.

The mechanism above described is concealed from view by a front panel 51. A bottom plate 52 is secured to the lower edge of the panel 51 by an angle bracket 53.

The endorsement interlock may be located in any desired position along the main interlocking channel 12 by compressing the spring 27 and placing the trough of the channel portion 16 into engagement with the under side of the wall 11. The spring 27, when released, causes the member 24 to bear against the bottom Wall 52 of the machine, thus retaining the channel portion 16 of the plate 13 in pressure engagement with the underside of the wall 11. The endorsement interlocking straps 46 are connected to those candidate interlocking straps 42 which represent candidates endorsed by two or more political parties. In other words, if a candidate is endorsed by two parties, the two interlocking straps 42, which represent his name, are each provided with an endorsement interlocking strap 46. The interlocking members 4S, which are connected to the straps 46, are interposed between a pair of adjacent rivets 36 and are separated from each other by one or more rollers 39 which lie therebetween. The endorsement interlocking straps 46 prevent a voter from moving both of the above mentioned straps 42 upwardly into voting position on the same ballot. Either one or the other of the straps 42 may be moved but not both. Since the interlocking feature herein disclosed is not novel and forms no part of this invention, other than to show its connection with the sliding plate on the endorsement interlock, further description thereof is unnecessary.

Figure 1 shows the normal position of the plate 31 before any of the interlocking straps 42 have been moved or voted. As soon as some of the interlocking straps 42 are drawn upwardly into voting position, as shown on the left side of Figure 2, the wedges formed on the bottom of said straps are also drawn upwardly so as to lie in a position between adjacent rollers 43. The upward movement of these wedges causes lateral displacement toward the right of all the rollers 43 and straps 42 which lie to the right of the moved or voted straps 42. If a number of straps 42 to the right of the elevation shown in Figure 1 are drawn upwardly, the rollers 43 and straps 42 lying to the left thereof will be moved in a similar manner. Since the interlocking straps 46 are attached to certain of the straps 42 and project downwardly between rollers 39 on the movable plate 31, it follows that the plate 31 will move to the right or left as certain of the straps 42 are moved into voting position. If the plate 31, which supports the endorsement interlocking rollers 39, did not move as the straps 42 move laterally, certain of the endorsement interlocking straps 46 would be inclined at such an angle as to bind between the rollers 39 and prevent the voter from moving them through an indicator on the keyboard. To prevent the straps 46 from binding, the plate 31 is adapted to slide from one position to another with the straps 42 and 46 so that the straps 46 are kept at all times in as near a vertical position as possible, thus leaving them free to move vertically.

Although applicant has shown and described but one modiiication of this invention, it is obvi- L94a6e1 ous to those skilled in the art that other modications or adaptations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. In a voting machine having candidate interlocking straps which are displaced laterally when moved into and out of voting position, endorsement interlocking straps suspended from certain of said candidate straps, an endorsement interlock comprising a stationary plate and a movable plate, said endorsement straps being adapted to transmit lateral motion from said candidate straps to said movable plate whereby to prevent binding of said endorsement straps in said endorsement interlock.

2. In a voting machine havingcandidatestraps means engaged with and causing lateral displacement of said straps during movement into voting position, endorsement interlocking straps suspended from certain of said candidate straps, and a removable endorsement interlock engaged with said endorsement straps, said interlock having a stationary and a movabie plate, said movable plate being adapted to move laterally with said candidate straps to maintain a substantially vertical position of said endorsement straps at all times to prevent binding thereof in said interlock.

3. In a voting machine having candidate straps which are displaced laterally when moved into and out of voting position, endorsement interlocking straps suspended from certain of said candidate straps, an interlock engaged with said endorsement straps comprising a movable and stationary plate, said movable plate being adapted to move with said candidate straps whereby to prevent binding of said endorsement straps in said interlock.

4. In a voting machine having candidate traps, a candidate interlock for controlling the movement of said candidate straps, said candidate interlock causing lateral displacement of said candidate straps upon moving said candidate straps from non-voting to voting position, endorsement straps suspended from certain of said candidate straps, an endorsement interlock for controlling the movement of said endorsement straps, said endorsement interlock having a stationary and a movable plate, said movable plate being adapted to shift laterally with said candidate straps whereby to prevent binding of said endorsement straps in said endorsement interlock.

5. In a voting machine having candidate straps, a candidate interlock for controlling the movement of said candidate straps, said candidate interlock causing lateral displacement of said candidate straps upon moving said candidate straps from non-voting to voting position, endorsement straps suspended from certain of said candidate straps, an endorsement interlock for controlling the movement of said endorsement straps, said endorsement interlock having a stationary and a movable plate, said stationary plate being removably attached to said interlock, said movable plate being capable of shifting relatively to said stationary plate whereby to prevent binding of said endorsement straps in said endorsement interlock.

ALVIN N. GUSTAVSON. 

